Premier Foods has kick-started efforts to quell a potential revolt aimed at ousting its chief executive after being blindsided by a top shareholder.

The company's chairman Keith Hamill is understood to be contacting investors to reiterate his faith in boss Gavin Darby following news that Oasis Management plans to vote against his re-election at Premier's forthcoming AGM.

Oasis, which is Premier's second largest investor with a stake of about 8 per cent, also intends to encourage other shareholders to do the same.